For Immediate Release: Friday, May 11, 2018
Contact: Laura Brandon, laura.brandon@
Trump All Talk, No Action on Drug Prices
Trump’s “Plan” Fails to Implement Any of the Key Changes Needed to Lower Drug Prices
Washington, DC – In response to President Trump’s speech today on prescription drug costs, Health Care for America Now Co-Directors Ethan Rome and Margarida Jorge released the following statement:
“President Trump’s speech was full of bluster, grand claims and empty promises that won’t add up to a thing. His plan will do nothing to lower prices or help seniors and millions of others who are struggling to afford the prescriptions they need to stay healthy. The only big winners are the drug companies that will continue to gouge consumers and enjoy lengthy patents.
“Despite his over-the-top rhetoric and campaign promises, Trump has taken no tangible steps to reduce drug prices since taking office. He’s afraid to take on Big Pharma and do what it takes to lower prices. Instead he’s letting them run the show. With a former Big Pharma CEO leading his effort, it’s not surprising this plan has no teeth and fails to take a major step that would actually reduce drug prices: allowing Medicare to fully negotiate directly with drug companies. That would change the entire pharmaceutical market and make medicines more affordable for everyone.
“To make matters worse, Trump and Republicans in Congress passed a $1.4 trillion tax law that rewards Big Pharma with millions in tax breaks while seniors struggle to climb out of the Medicare donut hole and afford the life-saving prescriptions they need. If President Trump is serious about reducing drug prices, he should abandon his empty rhetoric and push for policy changes that protect Americans from Big Pharma’s price gouging.”
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Health Care for America Now (HCAN) is the national grassroots coalition that ran a $60 million five-and-a-half year campaign from 2008-2013 to pass, protect, and promote the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and protect Medicare and Medicaid. HCAN has come back together to fight the Republicans’ all-out effort to take away America’s health care and put people at the mercy of the health insurance companies again.
